Travel Insurance - cross channel

[st599]

Yes, my wife had to spend a day in a French hospital and had to pay personally up front. It proved impossible to get the money back later against the GHIC.
The cost was 800e so, considering the initial price of insurance and probable excess, in that case the money difference was perhaps negligible. As you say, It's the biggie that causes more worry.

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The GHIC gets you the same cover as a local, not free cover. In France you get A and E for a small fixed cost, further costs depend on what type of hospital you went to.

When we have been to Holland on the boat we have just used standard travel insurance because the costs we want to insure relate to medical cover, repatriation loss/theft etc as opposed to anything to do with the passage across the N. Sea (including any associated delays) or the boat, which has its own insurance. Sailing in national waters of the U.K. and EU countries appears to be acceptable in most standard policies so I figured we had covered what we needed to.

Am I missing something?
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Many insurance policies out club looked at cover sailing as part of a trip, but not if it's the sole reason for the trip.

 

[bluerm166]

I have to say that when we had our estate car broken in to at Honfleur and the bag containing all my holiday clothes etc etc were taken we found that Insure and Go were absolutely useless.( since I don't keep receipts for my total modest wardrobe etc)
Fortunately NFU Mutual were absolutely brilliant ( if astute) and covered everything we expected to recover from I and G including £50 cash that my wife had tucked into a pocket.
They are not cheap but we are still with them.

 

[gjgm]

As a little test, I just got an annual ,couple,EU, "Sailing included" quote : £350. I didn't trawl through the contract as it was just out of curiosity driven by this thread.

And another was £900!

 

[mogmog2]

And another was £900!

Oof! Same company with different parameters, or different company?

 

[gjgm]

Oof! Same company with different parameters, or different company?

Two companies. Guess others may get different quotes.
Leaving lost property etc.aside, and that you may have to pay something in Eu, but does GHIC cover most, except possible repatriation?
Doubtless your insurance co will be delighted to get you home and get you into ( free for them) NHS!

 

[mogmog2]

Two companies. Guess others may get different quotes.
Leaving lost property etc.aside, and that you may have to pay something in Eu, but does GHIC cover most, except possible repatriation?
Doubtless your insurance co will be delighted to get you home and get you into ( free for them) NHS!

IDK yet, this is all I know and it's enough to put the wind up me "A UK EHIC or UK GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It may not cover all health costs and never covers repatriation costs. You should make sure that you have travel insurance as well as a UK EHIC or UK GHIC."
I've got a while to find out...

 

[Ribtecer]

Whilst on a driving holiday in the Alps last September I was taken to a GPs surgery with complications to previous surgery to my stomach relating to the altitude.

GP charged €80 and sent me straight to Briançon Hospital, after treatment and then a CT scan, they kept me in over night. Absolutely marvelous treatment all covered on my GHIC card. They gave me a prescription and sent me to a local Pharmacy, €25.00

Thanks Emmanuel, I was/am truly very grateful.

 

[Greg2]

Many insurance policies out club looked at cover sailing as part of a trip, but not if it's the sole reason for the trip.

Interesting. The company we have annual insurance with found it difficult to answer our questions when I asked about the policy covering a sailing holiday but concluded that when in national waters we would be covered and for our Holland trips, which were some years ago, we explained what was intended when taking out the policies. I guess making sure is prudent!
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[lustyd]

Am I missing something?

Possibly just that there’s a time limit on standard travel insurance (and home insurance if away!) so may not fully cover longer cruising.

 

[Greg2]

Possibly just that there’s a time limit on standard travel insurance (and home insurance if away!) so may not fully cover longer cruising.

Good point - we have only done two week holidays as opposed to extended cruises but that is something for us to look into as longer trips are now more likely.
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[lustyd]

Good point - we have only done two week holidays as opposed to extended cruises but that is something for us to look into as longer trips are now more likely.
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Then also note that GHIC has a time limit too. Things get very frustrating the longer you’re gone

 

[gjgm]

Interesting. The company we have annual insurance with found it difficult to answer our questions when I asked about the policy covering a sailing holiday but concluded that when in national waters we would be covered and for our Holland trips, which were some years ago, we explained what was intended when taking out the policies. I guess making sure is prudent!
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Just an update. I tried Admiral as they cover "Yachting".
Essentially, they do not cover anything to do with the boating activity, inside or outside territorial waters if the vessel has sails or an engine. The policy does cover all others terms within territorial area, not associated with the boating activity, and the cover is "reactivated" as it were, when you re-enter territorial waters ( Uk to France ,for example).
My undertanding then, is that you get normal travel insurance even if you travel by your own boat, but you have no cover for any part of the policy while using the boat. Check yourself, of course!
I might imagine this is fairly standard wording/terms, though I had to discuss wth them to get to the bottom of what the wording meant!
Premium guide , annual, 60 day max, was about £150 for a couple.

 

[lustyd]

There’s nowhere to spend money outside of territorial waters so I don’t think it matters much. When you arrive you may need treatment, that’s then covered.

 

[dolabriform]

+1 for Sportscoverdirect

 

[ithet]

Just an update. I tried Admiral as they cover "Yachting".
Essentially, they do not cover anything to do with the boating activity, inside or outside territorial waters if the vessel has sails or an engine. The policy does cover all others terms within territorial area, not associated with the boating activity, and the cover is "reactivated" as it were, when you re-enter territorial waters ( Uk to France ,for example).
My undertanding then, is that you get normal travel insurance even if you travel by your own boat, but you have no cover for any part of the policy while using the boat. Check yourself, of course!
I might imagine this is fairly standard wording/terms, though I had to discuss wth them to get to the bottom of what the wording meant!
Premium guide , annual, 60 day max, was about £150 for a couple.

The normal travel policies I have looked at only provide cover during periods where you have booked commercial travel and/or accommodation. So this would not provide any cover for a trip away and stay aboard my own boat in the same way as driving to visit and stay with family or friends is not covered. Is Admiral different in this respect?

 

[st599]

There’s nowhere to spend money outside of territorial waters so I don’t think it matters much. When you arrive you may need treatment, that’s then covered.

Not necessarily - the trip in its totality may not be covered as there's no commercial travel involved and the injury may not be covered if it happened on the yacht. It all depends on the small print.

 

[gjgm]

The normal travel policies I have looked at only provide cover during periods where you have booked commercial travel and/or accommodation. So this would not provide any cover for a trip away and stay aboard my own boat in the same way as driving to visit and stay with family or friends is not covered. Is Admiral different in this respect?

I did not read anything to that effect, but of course, check !
Much travel insurance is related to cancel flights,lost baggage,trip cancellation etc,plus medical.
From my small enquiry, it seems you might pay between 2 and 6 times the premium if you want cover " at sea " ( my wording), but you will need to check exactly what that actually does cover.
Can you arrive on land and claim for an incident at sea without that extra cover, I suspect not. A minor injury could happen anywhere perhaps, though a stroke involving rescue services,ambulances etc might be another question.
You pays your money, you takes your choice!

 

[ylop]

and that you may have to pay something in Eu, but does GHIC cover most, except possible repatriation?

GHIC is an agreement that a UK citizen in possession of the card, whilst travelling in a supported country pays no more for urgent or chronic healthcare than a local citizen AT STATE PROVIDED facilties of that country to access the same service (there's a limit on maternity services but I guess that is not relevant to you!) The cost, and limitations will therefore differ state to state. Some of the issues for GHIC v's traditional travel insurance are:

- private medical treatment is not covered by GHIC
- if you get admitted to hospital for 2 weeks, your wife (or other travelling companions) will not be put up in a hotel waiting for your release. (she may be able to stay on the boat?)
- if you have a significant injury then get released from hospital but are not fit to travel home you will not get put up in a hotel whilst you recouperate sufficiently to travel. (even if the boat is intact, it might not be a suitable place for someone who is not fit enough to fly)
- if you get very seriously ill/injured and your family would like you moved to the UK, GHIC will not cover this
- if you die, GHIC will not pay to transport your body back
- if you get sick/injured and are unable to sail your boat home GHIC will not cover your flights/ferry, or the marina costs/delivery skipper (I think some yacht insurance might as an option?)
- if you've planned a 3 week trip and get hurt on the first day and get left with a load of cancellation costs travel insurance would often cover them
- if you've planned a trip with various costs and get sick a few days before and can't go; travel insurance will cover the cancellation costs.
- if you get stuff stolen or mugged walking round town usually travel insurance will cover it
- if you were leaving a boat overseas and flying there/back and your flight is cancelled or car breaks down on the way to the airport - travel insurance will usually help

Of course travel insurance has an excess and an upfront cost - a family of 4 costs ~£250 for an annual EU policy, so if you are reasonably affluent, you might look at that and decide its not worth it. My annual policy covers trips for any of the 4 of us up to 30 days, and UK travel with 2 nights or more pre-booked. I've not planned any international sailing trips so not considered if that might be a problem, but I've also not bothered with lots of add on's to my yacht insurance.

 

[gjgm]

A Checklist!
My comment,perhaps not clear, was re medical.I wouldn't expect GHIC to cover much of what you mention- that is indeed travel insurance, not a medical card. It would take a close read of a travel policy as to what on your list they do or do not cover,and to what extent. As I mentioned, I would not be surprised if the ins.co wants to get you home and not clock up foreign hotel bills for the family!
To note, prices and availability of policies alters beyond 30 days, and of course with age and any medical conditions, as you would expect.
I think OP was asking re " at sea" . Up to each to decide if they need only GHIC, non sailing travel insurance, or tailored sailing travel insurance. Policies are very carefully worded, so as well to be sure you are actually insured for what you think you are insured for.
The thread may have clarified a few minds!

 

[ylop]

A Checklist!
My comment,perhaps not clear, was re medical.I wouldn't expect GHIC to cover much of what you mention- that is indeed travel insurance, not a medical card. It would take a close read of a travel policy as to what on your list they do or do not cover,and to what extent.

You asked does GHIC cover most, except repatriation. I think it is important for people to consider that, whilst it can cover most of the essential hospital bills it won't cover everything else which is consequential to the person being in hospital. It is of course essential to read your policy to know what it will cover, perhaps more so with travel insurance than anything else because t&c's vary so much.

As I mentioned, I would not be surprised if the ins.co wants to get you home and not clock up foreign hotel bills for the family!

Hotel bills are cheap compared to medivac flights!